Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The 5 Best Man Crates to Gift Yourself

Sometimes, we all need a little treat. Maybe you made it through a particularly tough week at work or maybe you finally finished a home improvement project that took way too long. Or, maybe you won the office football pool and your pockets are a little fuller and you’re feeling good.

To some, it’s called treating yourself. To others, it’s as simple as self-care. Whatever you want to call it, in the end, you’re coming out of it a little better off.

While there are plenty of ways to practice self-care, one company is making it easy to treat yo’ self without having to put much thought into it. Man Crates is a box service that creates — well, it’s called Man Crates, what do you think they make?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fisher, a golfer, a voracious carnivore, or a leather smith in training, Man Crates has created a box for you. Each box features a variety of tools or items related to the subject at hand. In the Bass Whisperer Crate, for example, you get lures, a cooler, a scale, a pair of pliers, and sunflower seeds (because you need something to do while you wait).

There are a lot of Man Crates to sort through, though, so it may seem a little overwhelming if you’re looking for something to treat yourself with. Below, we’ve culled five of the best Man Crates the site has available. Order one or more of these now, and thank us later.

Knife-Making Kit – $135

Knife-Making Kit

It’s one thing to master how to sharpen a knife (or how to use it properly), but what about mastering the art of making your own knife? Every man should carry a knife (or at least have one handy), so instead of going to the store and buying one, make one instead. This kit provides you with everything you need to do so. If the first knife goes well, you can always get a refill kit or step up to making your own Bowie knife.

Buy It Here

Exotic Meats Kit – $110

Exotic Meats Kit

If you’re like the staff of The Manual, eating your way around the world is a goal you hope to accomplish sooner rather than later. With such a bounty of proteins available to our ever-ready stomachs, the question then becomes where to start. Well, you could start here, with this exotic meats kit.  Featuring nine different types of meat from around the world (Biltong beef, a South African staple, for example), you can get your global carnivore on without having to leave your living room.

Buy It Here

Grill Master Crate – $110

Grill Master Crate

Being a grill master should be — if it is not already — one of the things you aspire to be in life. Just like being able to change a tire, it’s an essential skill that will stay with you always. If you’re just getting started, or are looking to up your game from the simple Hibachi you had in college, picking up this Grill Master Crate is a great way to go. With the addition of four steak thermometers, a cast iron smoker box, and a brass knuckle meat tenderizer, you’ll be grilling up great dinners in no time (and looking like a badass doing it, thanks to the meat tenderizer). As an added bonus, you’ll get hickory wood chips, multiple barbecue sauces, and a seasoning blend.

Buy It Here

Straight Edge Shaving Kit – $50

Straight Edge Shaving Kit

First, we have to say that this box, once $175, is a steal at $50. If you’ve ever wanted a straight razor shave and didn’t want to pay barbershop prices (or if have an obsession with Sweeney Todd), then this kit is for you. You get everything you need to BYOB (be your own barber, obviously): a straight razor, leather strop, shave cream, after shave, and an alum bar. The only thing missing is a striped barber pole, but you can pick one of those up here.

Buy It Here

Zombie Annihilation Crate – $150

Zombie Annihilation Crate

Does this crate really serve a purpose? In the long-run no (or will it?), but you can’t deny that it’s just plain fun. Contained in this kit, you’ll get everything (minus a gun) that you could potentially need for a zombie apocalypse. Not only do you get a machete and an axe (and what guy doesn’t need a machete and a knife in his life?), but you’ll also receive: a Gorge folding shovel, a combination paracord knife with built-in fire starter, and “combat essentials” (the book Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks, a flashlight, first aid kit, duct tape, and a can of SPAM). Zombies on the horizon? You’ll be ready.

Buy It Here

Editors' Recommendations

The best (and worst) stadium food in the US, ranked
Betting.com analyzed over 100,000 reviews to bring you the best and the worst foods at U.S. sports arenas
Baseball food — chili dog and chili fries.

The beginning of winter is a time for sports highlights. Baseball is in the midst of free agency, the NBA season features marquee matchups throughout the holidays, and the NFL is tilting toward the playoffs. Whether it’s in your hometown or an excursion on the road, heading to a sporting event is an iconic way to experience a locale. Sports stadiums like to show off local culture, and there are few better ways to do this than with stadium food.

M&R Glasgow
The best stadium food

Read more
The best red wines under $20: Our top picks
Interested in a red wine with more quality than its sub-$20 price tag would suggest? Read on
A bottle of Cavit Cab Sav.

Anybody who's been abroad knows you can drink great wine on the cheap. Can you do the same here? The answer is yes, if you know what to look for.

The American wine scene is as vibrant as ever, and with that comes a whole host of options, from bottom shelf to high-end collector's items. In the red category, there's an ocean of riches to enjoy, from food-friendly Chianti to winter-ready Cabernet Franc. And they come from all over, from the countryside of Italy to Sonoma County and Washington State.

Read more
Here are Chicago’s 10 best restaurants for a sublime meal
Dining out in Chicago? Here are the ten best restaurants the Windy City has to offer
Alla Vita design.

As the third largest metropolis in the U.S., Chicago has countless restaurant options. Which begs the question: Which eateries can't be missed?

Well, we've got you covered in terms of all things culinary in the Windy City. After some stomach-filling research, we've whittled things down to the best ten in this Midwest mecca of food. These restaurants make a trip to Chicago worth it in their own right, offering some of the best food in the country.
Andros Taverna

Read more